How to Score the Best Deals on Electronics

When we surveyed shoppers to find out the top 10 most wanted items on Black Friday, electronics accounted for seven spots on the list. And although Black Friday is behind us, many of us are still scrambling to find the best deals on a new iPad Mini or a Playstation 4. Here are some tips for scoring deals on this year’s hot items.

1. Buy bundles. Get a little extra bang for your buck. Retailers are competing for your holiday dollars. Often they will bundle together add-on items at a discount like a case and headphones with a laptop or free video games with a video game system to give them an edge over competitors.

2. Get a bonus gift card. Check store ads for free gift cards with purchase, a popular offering for electronics. Use the card for self-gifting or keep as a backup gift. Just read the fine print. Sometimes free gift cards have an expiration date or restrictions that the store’s regular gift cards don’t.

3. Trade in old electronics. Want to upgrade to the latest model? Many electronics retailers have a trade-in program where you can exchange old electronics for a store gift card. Some independent sites will even give you cash. Compare your item’s trade-in value at big box stores or sites like Amazon, Gazelle or NextWorth to get the most credit or cash back.

4. Consider refurbished. These are electronics that were floor models, returns, or had a defect or cosmetic damage. They are typically sent back to the manufacturer for repair and inspection. Then repackaged like new, sold at a discount, and typically still qualify for the manufacturer’s warranty.

5. Shop on Mondays. Need a little retail therapy to get through your Monday Morning? You’re in luck. Even when it’s not Cyber Monday, there are typically more discounts and rebates on electronics early in the week. It is often the biggest day of the week for online shopping, so retailers are offering more promotions.

6. Shop last minute. The beauty of technology is that it can often be sent instantly, which is perfect for procrastinators who need last minute gifts. Send a subscription to a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu (both $7.99 a month) or an eBook straight to a tablet device like a Kindle or iPad.